A Nigerian court has condemned as “illegal and unconstitutional” the arrest and deportation of Cameroonian separatists who had applied for asylum in Nigeria, the lawyers representing them said on Sunday.
In January 2018, Nigeria arrested and deported 47 anglophone separatists who had fled Cameroon following a crackdown by the authorities.
According to Punch, the move was denounced by UNHCR, the UN refugee agency, which said most of them had filed asylum claims and accused Nigeria of breaching international agreements.
“Justice Chikere declared the arrest and detention of the 12 applicants illegal,” said a statement from Nigerian law firm Falana & Falana, referring to a ruling issued this week in the capital Abuja.
“Consequently, Justice Chikere declared the deportation of the applicants illegal and unconstitutional, awarded N200,000 ($550, 320 euros) to each of them and ordered the federal government to ensure that they are brought back to Nigeria forthwith.”
Among the 12 claimants was separatist leader Julius Sisiku Ayuk Tabe, president of the self-declared “Republic of Ambazonia”, who was arrested along with his supporters on January 9 by Nigerian intelligence agents.
The group was sent back to Cameroon on January 26, and Ayuk Tabe was put on trial for “terrorism” in December at a military court in Yaounde, Cameroon’s capital.
At the hearing, defence lawyer Femi Falana argued that the arrest and detention of refugees and asylum seekers constituted a breach of Nigeria’s constitution and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights.
Emeh Achanga,the CEO of the Miss Petite Nigeria Brand is a lawyer turned blogger. She is very passionate about writing, with several publications and awards to her credit .She is currently working on publishing a collection of short stories which are basically a memoir about her exciting true experiences.
